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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23104177">Paint the Town Red</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ONeillwith2ls/pseuds/ONeillwith2ls'>ONeillwith2ls</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stargate SG-1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bit of Pete bashing because...who doesn't want to?, F/M, Gen, Sometime in season 8, Teamwork</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 14:20:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,135</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23104177</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ONeillwith2ls/pseuds/ONeillwith2ls</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Paintballing, cops vs black ops team of Air Force.</p>
<p>Pete really doesn't understand how much of a kick ass his fiance is...and really doesn't understand how SG-1 works...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Samantha "Sam" Carter/Jack O'Neill, Samantha "Sam" Carter/Pete Shanahan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>89</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>167</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Round 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>As always all these characters are not mine... except the cops other then Pete... the characters we know belong to the good folk at Stargate.</p>
<p>Bit of Pete bashing because Holy Hannah I can't stand him! </p>
<p>And a bit of Jack loving because--well come on! ;-)</p>
<p>Bit of fun really...</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“This hardly seems fair.” Jack remarked standing shoulder to shoulder with the rest of SG-1.</p>
<p>“Maybe the General is right.” Pete said to his captain. “Maybe a few of us should join the military team.”</p>
<p>“Oh, no, I didn’t mean fair to us I meant...” Jack paused in what he was saying. “You know what never mind.”</p>
<p>The Captain of Pete’s precinct chuckled “Come on Pete, Cops against Military, its all a bit of fun right General?” The Captain asked.</p>
<p>“Absolutely!” Jack confirmed being distracted by the amount of time it was taking the other side to kit up.</p>
<p>Sam came up and stood beside Jack looking at the other side “We’re going to kick their butts aren’t we sir?” Sam asked him.</p>
<p>One of the cops paintgun at that moment chose to backfire covering the cop in his own teams paint colour.</p>
<p>“It might be a close call.” He commented the sarcasm not lost in his voice, Sam fought a smile here head ducking for a moment. Pete noticed the way Jack O’Neill could once again bring his girl to smile so easily.</p>
<p>“You can’t possibly be that cocky?” Pete asked stunned at their bravado.</p>
<p>Jack shrugged as Pete came and stood between them looking down at Sam. “Come on Pete, we handle situations much more serious them this on a weekly bases.” Sam told him taking a step back feeling a little closed in by her proximity to Pete, although a bystander would have seen she stood a lot closer to her commanding officer without complaint.</p>
<p>“Come over to the cops side Sam.” Pete flirted with her, which earned a grimace from Jack behind him as he wandered over to Daniel and Teal’c. “We’ll swap you for Jones.” Pete suggested.</p>
<p>“Hey!” Jones objected, the man clearly the runt of the litter.</p>
<p>“Hey no swappies!” Jack objected.</p>
<p>“The General is right Pete.” The Captain commented.</p>
<p>“Thank you.” Jack said his arm waving over.</p>
<p>“Your pretty little lady will have to be at risk.” The Captain commented.</p>
<p>The comment earned a glare from Sam and an eye roll from Jack.</p>
<p>“I think you’ll find you’re the one at risk now.” Daniel commented as Sam released her arm from Pete’s arm and her features hardened.</p>
<p>“Oh this game is so on!” Sam muttered with the same glare emanating from her face as she went and stood firm with her team.</p>
<p>“That’s my girl!” Jack quipped before, a glare came from Pete at the statement.</p>
<p>‘Whose girl?!’ he objected in his mind. “So what?” Pete demanded “four against twenty and you think you’ll win?”</p>
<p>“Yup!” Sam exclaimed fuelled by the Captain’s quip.</p>
<p>“Look they have a girl and an architect on the team.” One of the other cops joked again.</p>
<p>Daniel’s forehead crinkled in annoyance “Archaeologist.”</p>
<p>“Oh sorry my mistake.” The cop quipped turning around looking at Pete like Daniel and Sam were the weak links.</p>
<p>“Was Indiana Jones not also an archaeologist?” Teal’c commented to Daniel.</p>
<p>“And fictional.” Daniel shrugged.</p>
<p>“Alright, we don’t need to justify ourselves to them.” Jack grouped his troop as they turned the corner to the ‘field’.</p>
<p>“I think we start at the barn sir.” Sam commented.</p>
<p>“Alright lets head out.” Jack said staying a little a head of his team, Sam at the back and Daniel and Teal’c on either side just behind the General.</p>
<p>Pete glared across the field watching them as they walked towards the barn. “I don’t get it.” Pete commented.</p>
<p>“Get what?” Jones asked as the captain walked with the two men.</p>
<p>“Why would she choose them?” Pete asked.</p>
<p>The captain chuckled “it was our idea.” The captain reminded him. “She is military.” He said offhandedly. “And they’ve been together as a team what did you say seven years?” he asked to which Pete nodded. “That’s a long time for the military.”</p>
<p>“He doesn’t even defend her.” Pete muttered.</p>
<p>“Who?” The captain asked.</p>
<p>“The general, he doesn’t defend Sam, why would she go with him if he doesn’t defend her?”</p>
<p>“Come on Shanahan.” The captain said with a playful smile. “Lets show them whose boss.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>“No radio so visual contact at all time.” Jack said stepping forward after the twenty cops passed them.</p>
<p>“Yes Sir.” Sam commented from beside him.</p>
<p>“Gottcha.” Daniel nodded.</p>
<p>“Forward to the defence.” Jack continued. “If we fall back...”</p>
<p>“Yes Sir.” Sam said with a smile “too easy huh?” she asked.</p>
<p>“Well it’s not the Gou’ald we’re fighting against.” He smiled. “Alright in we go.” He said pointing towards the barn. They waited for the starting signal then headed out as if they were in the field.</p>
<p>Teal’c covered as they left the barn Jack taking the lead position Sam not far behind to his left and Daniel to her right Teal’c covering the sixes initially.</p>
<p>It didn’t take long for them each to take out one of the cops, their red paint spattering so far they had all avoided the green.</p>
<p>“T, move out.” Jack called, as Teal’c headed in front of the general to a haystack less then ten meters from the general Jack taking another cop as cover for Teal’c.</p>
<p>Sam looked to the General who signaled her to make her next move rolling out and belly crawling to a small incline she lay flat to it taking out her next two, skillfully ducking as the green paint threatened her, but very quickly she was ignored as Daniel leaped from his space to join Teal’c at the haystacks. Taking another cop as he went. The men alternatively poked out either side of the haystack to shoot.</p>
<p>Friendly fire was exchanged for a few minutes where SG1 got a couple of more cops, but then a couple moved round the back of the haystack Teal’c noticed just in time to catch one before the other hit Daniel.</p>
<p>“O’Neill!” Teal’c called as he shot the one who shot Daniel.</p>
<p>“Carter!” Jack called immediately.</p>
<p>“Yes sir!” she called retrieving back to her previous position but from a slightly different angle taking out another two men as she moved.</p>
<p>“Teal’c move!” Jack called. Teal’c automatically picked up Daniel and moved them behind the stone Daniel was originally behind.</p>
<p>“T, its okay, I have to go back to base.” Danny reminded him “not a real fight.” He said with a smile as he got up and walked away joining the cops who had already started to congregate there.</p>
<p>They weren’t sure if it was Teal’c frame which attracted the attention of the men, but they seemed to be ignoring Sam altogether and only occasionally concentrating on General O’Neill despite the fact that he was covering for his other two teammates and could have easily have been taken out if targeted.</p>
<p>“Colonel!” Jack called to her as he began to shoot again.</p>
<p>Sam stood very exposed moved right to left across the field shooting as she went. She got two cops as she went settling at the haystack which was now empty from Teal’c moving. She then saw it before anyone else did. Pete had somehow came round the back of them all and was trying to sneak up on the General. “Oh I don’t think so!” she muttered in full colonel mode and without hesitating about the fact she was shooting her fiancé she took aim and took him out with one ball.</p>
<p>Pete looked at where it came from and found Sam crouching staring at him hardly. “What the fuck! I’m your fiancé!”</p>
<p>“You were attacking a member of my team!” she called back.</p>
<p>“Thanks Carter.”</p>
<p>“Gottcha sixes sir!” she called back.</p>
<p>“That you do!” Jack called with a smirk on his face without thinking about what it was they were saying.</p>
<p>“His what!?” Pete exclaimed.</p>
<p>The Cop Captain held his hand up “Ceasefire! Hold your fire a minute!” he called to SG1. “Pete you’re off the field man you got shot.” He said confused.</p>
<p>“Hold on, you’re meant to cover me!” Pete shot back at Sam.</p>
<p>“No, I cover <em>my</em> team.” Sam looked at him confused. “Pete this isn’t personal.” She told him. “Its just some fun.”</p>
<p>“Right so if it were?” he shot at her.</p>
<p>“Pete!” His captain warned. “Come on man, you’re taking this too far, she was covering her teams back.”</p>
<p>“She was covering his!” Pete accused.</p>
<p>“Excuse me?!” Sam and Jack exclaimed in unison.</p>
<p>“Pete, we do this all the time, we are used to covering each others sixes. I... I don’t...” she was so very confused of what Pete expected and why he was making such a scene.</p>
<p>“Ok,” Pete said approaching her threatening the remainder of SG1 all had their guns up and pointing at Pete. “So say we were on opposites sides or I dunno some alien was possessing me.” He said mocking her in a way that his team wouldn’t work out the truth because he was mocking her but she knew he was threatening them “You would shoot?” he asked her.</p>
<p>“Yes.” She said simply. “If you were a threat in whatever form yes.”</p>
<p>He scoffed “and you what know how that feels to be on the receiving end of that? For someone who loves you to hold a weapon in their hands and shoot you?”</p>
<p>Jack looked immediately to her and Sam to him. She quickly skilled herself closing her eyes and taking a deep breath before she spoke “If you were compromised,” she said opening her eyes and looking at Pete “if you were no longer in control?” she continued. “See I know you enough to know you wouldn’t want to live like that, to have your agency taken from you to see and hear and feel your body do things you didn’t tell it to do, or you have no control over? I know that, that is no living at all, when you love someone, you know that.” She shrugged “I would rather die then have my ability to choose what I do taken from me, I would rather you shoot me dead then have me live like that.” She said to him she moved towards him and looked him in the eye “You ought to be grateful you’ll never have to make that choice, because I’ve seen what that does.” She said taking a deep breath holding her eyes to Pete’s as he looked angrily at her.</p>
<p>“Pete show some grace.” His captain told him, before Pete glared at Sam again and stomped off the field towards the others. Daniel who had been congratulated by the already out cops and was making friends with a few of them talking as they waited for round one to finish, quietly moved to the edge of the group, deliberately not making eye contact with Pete. “Colonel, General,” the captain addressed them “I’m sorry I don’t train my men like that, I don’t know what came over him.”</p>
<p>Jack was the first to speak “Its alright Captain, its the guns, makes us all trigger happy.” Jack said gracefully. Jack got up from the spot he’d been crouched in and walked over to Sam, he whispered to her “Carter?”</p>
<p>She looked up and into his eyes where he saw her blue eyes wide and sad. He knew she was remembering the entity. The way he had shot at her twice with the zat weapon. “I never said.” She said quietly to him so no one would overhear “I wouldn’t want to live like that.” She looked at Jack, silently conveying she knew, she knew the sacrifice he was willing to make, how it was about to tare him apart when he thought she would die, even if it was years ago even if there was nothing left, she knew what he had done at the time.</p>
<p>“I know.” He said quietly to her. “You didn’t die, you’re here now.” He said his hand briefly touching her bicep. “Yes?” he asked her.</p>
<p>She snapped out of her mood and shook her head. “Yes sir.” She agreed where he smiled sadly and she back to him. “alright? Ready to play?” he asked her again to make sure she was okay.</p>
<p>“Yes sir.” She agreed.</p>
<p>He nodded “I think we’re ready to play captain.” Jack told him.</p>
<p>“Alright.” The captain agreed. “Everyone back to their previous positions.” He called where he turned to Jack “Hey General?” he said with a smile to Jack “Your Colonel?” he said his head tilting to Sam.</p>
<p>“Yeah, didn’t mention she’s my best marksmen did I?” Jack said with a sly grin.</p>
<p> “And the fact she’s a women?” The captain asked him.</p>
<p>“Oh I have no problem with her being a women.” Jack said offhanded like he did in their first meeting. “I <em>like</em> women.” Sam out-rightly laughed where Teal’c eyebrow shot up in surprise.</p>
<p>The captain chuckled “and you’re okay with that?”</p>
<p>“As long as she’s on my side.” Jack quipped which made Sam grin in satisfaction.</p>
<p>“Sam?” The captain asked her.</p>
<p>“Yeah?” Sam called out.</p>
<p>“You want to join our team?” The captain asked her.</p>
<p>“No sir.” She said with a grin “In our world, we don’t leave each other behind.” She said which made Jack grin with pride.</p>
<p>“Well then...” the captain started “In three.... two...” he said getting back to his previous position “...one.” </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Round 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Round two of Military verses cops--Pete still doesn't get it.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I never thought I'd get such as positive response over this! Thank you all so much! All comments and Kudos are really appreciated and I love to write back and talk to others of the fandom! (especially when Pete bashing!)</p><p>As always characters belonging to Stargate belong to Stargate and are not mine, not using this for profit just for fun!</p><p>Also since I don't get to say it on the other story, thanks for the positive comments on 'its not like its astrophysics' its always fun to write these!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The captain had insisted, even though he could see that the military team was obviously superior to his own four against twenty still seemed lopsided.</p><p>Sam had observed the team of course. Pete was only somewhere in the middle of the pack, despite his stealth for getting round SG1 in the first place, it was far outweighed by his display of temper, lack of sportsmanship, lack of judgement, not to mention the lack of team spirit, all of these were enough for the General not to place Pete on their team, despite the personal connection.</p><p>So when Jack had a choice of another four people she wasn’t surprised at his choices. Two of the men had been the last ones down in the last round, Sam had observed they never left their backs exposed meaning front and side attacks were the only route to take them down, this was infinitely harder then a back attack. They had also worked together, the team had seemed to pair off and these two had done the best. The third was a cop who had climbed into the barn behind them and went up the stairs. He might have easily have taken out SG1 had he not missed Teal’c by a matter of inches, the green paint splattered next to his foot alerting them to the roundel attack. Teal’c had turned and identified the stealthy position, the general not far behind, the three had formed a triangle close together, exposing themselves for a few moments but each covering the other’s back while first Teal’c and then Sam had hit the guy in close succession to each other. On successful completion the three wordlessly edging forward taking out more of the opposition as they went. The fourth made Sam smile.</p><p>“Come on Jones.” Jack had called.</p><p>The whole of the cop team looked surprised.</p><p>“Y-you mean me?” Jones had asked. “You don’t want me.”</p><p>“Sure I do.” Jack had replied.</p><p>“Is he kidding?” Pete had asked Sam who stood beside her.</p><p>“The General never jokes when it comes to strategy Pete.” Sam replied seriously.</p><p>“What could he want with Jones?” he asked. “I’m a better shot then Jones.”</p><p>Sam grinned. Yes, Pete was a better shot then Jones, but Jones was small and fast making it harder to actually aim at him, despite several attempts SG1 had taken its time to shoot at Jones. Strategically speaking there were several reasons for someone small and fast, especially since this round they had “gas” cylinders, if the opposition hurried to secure the buildings people who were small and fast could let loose several of these without being caught. By the name of the game if you were caught too long with a cylinder you were out without a shot being fired, but then the gas gave cover that each man coming out would be unaware of where they were for a few seconds giving them ample time to take men out one at a time. She of course would never divulge their secrets.</p><p>“Watch and learn Pete.” Was all she said.</p><p>Her team huddled. “Okay kids here’s what we do.” Jack started the cops seemed happy to listen and let him take the lead “I want you to all understand you are now my guys, all of you got it.” He told them. “Pairs, you...” he said pointing towards the first of the cops “with Carter, and you...” (the second of the cops) and you with Teal’c, and you with Danny ”</p><p>“What about me sir?” Jones asked.</p><p>Jack grinned “You are an essential part of the plan.”</p><p>‘The Military’ team all appeared to be heading into one building as the game began, ‘the police team’ taking strong hold positions across the village. At O’Neill’s signal most of the team headed out the back and went around the outside of the buildings waiting for the signal. O’Neill and Jones headed out the front door, Jack both covering Jones’ back and covering himself by a monument in the middle of the town. Jones quickly dropped the four “gas cylinders” across town, covering the sides of the buildings covering where the rest of the team might have been seen,  while O’Neill was able to observe and cover where the shots were coming from. Jack watched as Jones managed to duck in and out of cover, he was impressed by his speed making easier for the rest of the team as they came out from behind the buildings covering themselves. Jones returning to O’Neill took place beside him before the rest of the team now in positions around the town covered for them as they went towards the last building.</p><hr/><p>Sam was upstairs in one of the ‘villiages’ ‘abandoned’ buildings. Her head popped up looking across the town square she could see movement behind O’Neill, Sam stood seeing the General could see her hand signalled ‘window’ to him, immediately understanding he slid down just in time for a paintball to fly past where his shoulder and head was moments previously.</p><p>Sam ducked again hoping no one had seen her when Pete entered the room. “Pete?” She said looking wide eyed her paintball gun aimed at him.</p><p>“I took out Potter downstairs you’re down a man.” He smiled.</p><p>“Better take me down then.” Sam offered him.</p><p>“I’m not going to do that.” He tried romantically.</p><p>Sam rolled her eyes. “Pete come on, this whole thing was your idea and now you’re fraternizing with the enemy.”</p><p>He smiled coyly, though any bystander would think it was creepy “All I see is my fiancé.”</p><p>She shakes her head, if he’s not going to shoot her she figures she can at least take out the cops she’s been tracking, shooting him down in one shot the other returned fire but her position and altitude was on her side, it only took another five shots to bring him down she crouched again under the window frame. “You know there’s rules against fraternizing in the air force, do they not teach you guys the same thing?”</p><p>Pete sniggers “Come on Sam, half your team is technically civilian.” He shrugged sitting next to her planting a kiss on her cheek. She feels her annoyance rise at him “are you saying you’d sleep with the old man if you could?” he teased her.</p><p>Sam rolled her eyes. “General O’Neill is hardly old, you’d have no doubt about his vitality if you saw him in action.”</p><p>“What!?” Pete exclaimed, jumping up and walking over the other side of the room,  she was sure it would hone in her position to the others, she was completely confused as to what had upset him so much “You’ve slept with him!”</p><p>“On the battlefield Pete!” she exclaimed realising his twisted meaning “His actions in battle!” she shook her head “for crying out loud, talk like that would get me off the team and discharged from the air force faster then you could say it!” she eyed Pete up “What the hell is the matter with you?!”</p><p>Pete stood his ground “Would you sleep with him?!” he asked her.</p><p>Sam was annoyed now “Should I sleep with Danny and Teal’c too?” she asked him then scoffed “I mean why stop there, how about my Uncle George, or the joint chiefs? Hell why not the president!”</p><p>“Now you’re being ridiculous.” Pete muttered.</p><p>“That’s how you sound to me!” Sam tells him. “So how about I do you a favour and give you a twenty second head start before I start shooting.”</p><p>“Sam come on...” He starts.</p><p>“Fifteen and counting.” She snaps back. He heads out the room rolling his eyes as he went and stomped out the building only to be heard and seen by Daniel in the building opposite who took him down in a quick succession of three shots. She chuckled satisfied that Pete got what was coming to him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Final Round</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jack has a moment to think of Carter--it would be nice.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Characters are not mine, only Stargate.</p>
<p>So this one doesn't have Pete in as such--but it is based on Jack's musings.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“This looks awfully familiar.” He told Carter. The corridors were long and rounded with rooms going off the corridor. Unlike a Gou’ld ship there wasn’t a golden wall nor door in sight. “You sure we don’t have a mole?” he asked her with a grin.</p>
<p>She smiled at him “No sir,” she confirmed “I’ll admit the similarity is striking, but from a defence and offense perspective...”</p>
<p>“Aahah!” he said his hand coming up “I know all that.” He told her.  “So far so good kids.” He said with a smile to them “Danny, watch your arm, if it hadn’t dropped in the last round you wouldn’t have got painted. Teal’c, not a staff.” O’Neill warned him to which Teal’c nodded. “Jones good job, but remember to stick with someone watching your sixes, that’s what caught you out last time.” He looked to the one who he had paired with Sam “don’t get caught out again and watch my second.” He warned him.</p>
<p>“Yes Sir.” The guy said to his credit.</p>
<p>“Carter?” he said to her.</p>
<p>“Yes sir?” she asks.</p>
<p>“Watch that guys sixes.” He tells her.</p>
<p>She grins as the guys face dropped “Yes sir.”</p>
<p>“Remember, no radios so its hand signals only.” He instructs them.</p>
<p>They ran through the rounded corridor they all now in a rhythm. Jack hand signalled towards a room which Teal’c, Danny and their partners went into a few seconds later Daniel came to the door “clear.” He said.</p>
<p>“Alright, Danny stay here cover our sixes. Teal’c with us.”</p>
<p>They did this again for the other room in the corridor, and positioned Teal’c there with his partner. “Carter take the east, We’ll go west.” He said to her “Cover us as we go.” He told her. He moved down the corridor with Jones “Don’t worry about your aim, you’re taking too long to fire and its giving them a chance to get you.” He told the younger man. “Even if you don’t hit them the paint will distract them and make them loose their aim.”</p>
<p>The younger man nodded “Thank you Sir.”</p>
<p>“You’re faster at moving then them too, use it to your advantage, if I go down then move.”</p>
<p>“Yes sir.” He said with a smile.</p>
<p>Jack smiled slightly and admitted “I like you Jones you’re a team player.”</p>
<p>“I like you too sir, Thanks.” He looked to Jack before asking “so why are we just taking one corridor, I mean they’ll find us right?”</p>
<p>“That’s the idea.” Jack nodded. Jones looked up at him confused for a moment Jack sighed and found it hard to believe a cop wouldn’t recognise a strategy. “We have a stronghold here, in one corridor, its easily defendable.” He said “Teal’c Danny!” he called the two men coming out and coming to either side of the corridors with them. “So now we know this entire area is clear we can move in and into the rooms at worse or split up and move out, as long as we clear any other access ways into the corridor we can retreat and know the enemy can’t penetrate past us without taking us out first.” Jack tells him. “My team know to do this, so if they are the last man standing they retreat hopefully to the rest of the team and we start the stronghold all over again.”</p>
<p>“Right—of course.” He said nodding his head “they taught us that too.” Jones looked over at Jack and asked “you guys are black ops aren’t you, you and Sam?” he asked.</p>
<p>Jack shrugged.</p>
<p>“You can tell, I always heard you guys were bad ass.” Jones said with a grin.</p>
<p>Jack shrugged it off again.</p>
<p>“I find it hard to believe Pete could handle—well that sort of women.” He remarked with a back nod to Sam.</p>
<p>“Handle?!” Jack said incredulously. “Carter is not to be handled.”</p>
<p>Jones shrugged “I guess, its just the way Pete talks about her sometimes, its like he thinks she wants to be possessed.” He shrugs “keeps talking about a couple of kids and a dog and dinner on the table when he gets home.”</p>
<p>Jack huffed. Carter would never be possessed by a man, even if she was married to him a thousand years. She was her own women, strong, smart and capable, she may want someone to share things with it was only natural, but she’d never be a stay at home and be a pretty little housewife type.</p>
<p>He thought on his own fantasy of being married to Sam. It was ideal of course, they’d both still be at the SGC. He’d wake with her by his side and they’d share a car into work, his hand would caress her knee as she’d drive them in and would only move once she came to a stop for the first security check at the gates of the mountain. They’d walk in together both with coffee made from their really bad coffee maker which Sam keeps fixing up. Some days she would go through the gate but on other days she’d spend almost all day in her lab, he’s take her bad food from the commissionary along with her signature blue jello, she’d take a bite of two of her sandwich before she’d choose the blue jello over it. He’d sit and listen to her technobabble about the latest bit of technology she managed to snag before it was being moved to Area 51, it would make him smile listen to her though he’d pretend to be bored, because you know, that was their thing. He’d spend too long waiting for another team to come home but it was okay, because she would spend too long in her lab, but he’d drink some really bad coffee and encourage her to bed for the night. She’d reluctantly leave, not because she didn’t want to go home but because she wanted to make her gadget work. Despite all this she would fall asleep in the car on the way home, her hand now on his thigh as he drove them. They’d pick up pizza on the way.</p>
<p>The house would be somewhere between strictly organised and an organised chaos, but it was theirs.</p>
<p>Maybe if she wanted they could have a baby, although he’d love to be a father again at the end of the day it would be happening to her for nine months her body would not be her own, so its her choice, maybe when they have a kid he could finally retire, because he knew Sam would get three stars one day and the bias in him thought four.</p>
<p>He tried to picture a stay at home Sam with the 2.4 children and everything, it just made him chuckle. An imagine of Sam in a ridiculous 50s knee length skirt with petticoats and an apron on filled his mind. He came in the room to find she had the cigar out, the slippers waiting, the children were sitting straight at the table with angelic looks on their faces, she’d pull dinner out—</p>
<p>And it would be burnt to a crisp. Jack smiled again at the hurt look on Sam’s face as the kids would spring from their chairs and wreak havoc and start shouting for pizza. He’d take her in his arms.</p>
<p>‘aww honey you cooked!’ he would mock her, (although he didn't know if Sam could cook, could she?)</p>
<p>‘I tried’. She said confused. ‘I swear I followed the instructions exactly!’</p>
<p>He’d spin her into his arms and hold her tight ‘I didn’t marry you for your cooking abilities.’</p>
<p>‘Thank god!’ she’d quip. ‘I wanted everything perfect for you.’</p>
<p>He move his hands to her face and caress her cheeks with his thumbs ‘Then you don’t need to change a thing.’ He’d tell her. She’d smiled and allow him to kiss her before he’d quip ‘can I just say this outfit—hot!’ he’d tease.</p>
<p>‘Oh you like it?’ she asked.</p>
<p>‘well you make everything look hot.’ He’d smiled before he would whisper in her ear ‘I prefer those cute jeans you bought the other day, and my academy t-shirt—'  then with an even lower voice so the kids wouldn’t hear ‘no bra required’.</p>
<p>She’d blush slightly before she’d agree to it and she’d shuffle off to change.</p>
<p>An hour later they’d all be sitting on the sofa, pizza boxes in front of them and watching something stupid on the TV.</p>
<p>Their little girl would point out continuity errors on the show.</p>
<p>Their little boy would point out grammatical errors.</p>
<p>‘This is the life!’ he would quip.</p>
<p>“That would be nice.” Was all Jack could voice.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Control</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Control seems to be a problem</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>First: a possible trigger for this chapter only. There's depictions of domestic violence/abuse. Just a warning just here so you don't have to read it. I'm not putting it on the archive warnings for now, because it's this chapter only and not the rest of the work, but if anyone feels it necessary just leave a comment, it goes straight to moderation so if you dont want the comment to show just tell me.</p><p>THANK YOU!</p><p>All your loveliness! Kudos and comments, I do so love talking to you ALL! Thank you!</p><p>As always recognized characters are not mine, everyone else was created for the story.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The day had been more or less a success. The cops gradually warming to Daniel and immediately respecting Pete’s fiancée Sam as a force to be reckoned with in her own right. They all went to a bar afterwards where SG1 again remained together along with the captain of the precinct and Pete who lazily but possessively put his arm around Sam. Something Jack could see she was uncomfortable with but Pete wasn’t picking up on any of the hints she was sending his way.</p><p>“...all I’m saying is that a women likes a man to protect her. Right babe?”</p><p>Jack sniggered into his beer seeing the way Sam’s head tilted uncomfortably trying to move Pete’s arm from around her neck. ‘Babe?’ he thought to himself ‘what is she a little pink piglet?’ He knew he had called Sara just that ‘babe’ and the name had been cute and received well, but Sam, Sam was entirely different to Sara, her grace demanded a higher respect, her being and presence commanded esteem and acclaim.</p><p>“What you have a different opinion General?” Pete slurred, clearly after downing four beers in quick succession he was a little on the tipsy side.</p><p>“Not the women I know.” Was all Jack said at first.</p><p>“Care to elaborate?!” Pete said pointedly.</p><p>Jack looked annoyed before he said “Most women like the ability to look after themselves and so they should, I wouldn’t like the world to think I couldn’t help myself or defend my own being.” Jack said with a shrug. “But I’d like to think all my colleagues would know they could ask for my help and I would give it freely.” He said “man or women.” Jack finished with a shrug.</p><p>“We know you have our sixes Jack.” Daniel said with a fond smile.</p><p>“Indeed O’Neill.” Teal’c added.</p><p>“Always sir.” Sam said, a little pause and a smile passed between them.</p><p>The captain felt the shift between the four of them and did begin to wonder what exactly the dynamic of the team was. It was obvious they cared for each other deeply, and it worried him, because from the outset, it seemed as though Pete wanted to closer then her team to Sam, but even the captain knew that took time, those bonds had been forged over years he knew the military didn’t normally stay together that long. Pete would have to know it would take time, but he apparently didn’t.</p><p>“So, Pete says you’ve been together as a team for seven years?” The captain decided to interrupt.</p><p>Sam nodded enthusiastically “that’s right, well seven years as a team and now the General is in command of our base.”</p><p>“Oh whose your new team leader?” The captain asked interested.</p><p>Sam put her hand up shyly. “Not that there’s much military to it anymore.” She said with a smile to the boys.</p><p>“But you do get lead whenever we work with any of the other teams, and they’re all military.”</p><p>“and you are the leader of the most elite team.” Jack piped in with “gotta count for something.” He said with a shrug. “in fact the only reason you aren’t second is command of the base is because you know--what's his face, has held his rank longer then you. If it were up to me—” he added before trailing off and looking into his beer.</p><p>“So what is it you guys do again?” The captain asked now completely confused, apparently their base was quite complex.</p><p>“Deep Space Radar Telemetry.” Sam told them with an blank expression.</p><p>The Captain recognised the cover up, said nothing and nodded.</p><p>“Yeah right like that’s what you do.” Pete quipped loudly.</p><p>“Pete.” Sam said quietly.</p><p>“Oh come on Sam!” he almost laughed in her face “Who do you think you’re fooling here?”</p><p>“Pete.” She said equality as quiet but with a warning sound behind it.</p><p>“Come on, the original DI Joe, an archaeologist and astrophysics and an old General walk into a bar—when does that ever happen?”</p><p>Sam blushed not even able to look her team in their faces and especially not the General!</p><p>“It did tonight Pete.” Jack tried, sensing her discomfort, she managed to looked up her eyes full of shame.</p><p>“And you know <em>so</em> much about deep space radar telemetry.” Pete accused.</p><p>“Actually Carter is a theoretical physicist, its in her job title to know what happens out there in space, well anywhere really, with physics and stars and—“ he looked to Sam who was looking back at him in amazement, the kind of look which spoke despite the fact that his feigned ignorance, despite the fact he acted as though he had no idea what Sam was talking about, she knew he understood “—stuff.” He said trying to cover his face in ignorance again.   </p><p>“Right--!” Pete exclaimed. “You want to know the truth—”</p><p>“Pete stop it!” Sam insisted trying not to shout.</p><p>“Alright buddy—” Jack stood up.</p><p>“You are <em>not</em> my buddy!” Pete sneered standing up but next to Jack’s 6’1 his 5’10 height amounted to nothing, he still stood glaring.</p><p>“Seriously?” Jack asked.</p><p>Sam then stood between them only an inch smaller then Pete she looked him in the eye “Pete come on.” She said quietly.</p><p>“I can take him!” Pete almost spat at her.</p><p>Any other situation Sam would have laughed at the obvious joke. Jack O’Neill could be deadly, she wasn’t afraid of Jack in the least, because she knew he would never hurt her, but it doesn’t mean other people shouldn’t be afraid. Especially if Jack O'Neill wore <em>that</em> look!</p><p>Luckily Daniel at 6 foot and Teal’c at 6’3 stood at that moment. Sam shrunk back in line with her boys as they each stood on either side of Pete and took him by the arms ushering him out, Jack in front and Sam blushing behind.</p><p>All they could hear from behind was the cop Captain informing the others there was nothing to see.</p><p>Once they were outside the boys let go where he shrugged them off and addressed Jack “What you going to do now? Leave me for dead?”</p><p>Jack looked furious, so furious in fact even Sam stood back before he managed to spit out the sentence “I don’t care for you Shanahan and its safe to say you think the worse of me, but god help you if you do two things.”</p><p>“Oh yeah?”</p><p>“First off if you breach the official secrets act, I swear to God this government will shuttle your ass off to a federal prison for the rest of your life.” Pete bit back a chuckle, because he knew it was true, when Jack physically grabbed him by his jacket with both hands pulling him in closer which only made Jack tower further over Pete, “And second off, if you ever treat Carter the way you did in there again. I will tell every member of the SGC about your behaviour, point you out, and turn a blind eye.”</p><p>“Sir.” She finally said, where his eyes flickered to her. They were large, round and blue and so incredibly sad. “Please Jack.” She said even quieter, and with those two words he let go.</p><p>Pete looked between the pair and swallowed as he saw the look they were still giving each other, inside he was wreathing with jealousy for this man and had no idea why.</p><p>“Look lets talk.” Daniel and Teal’c said pulling Pete away from Sam and Jack leaving them some space. They were talking to him but he couldn’t really hear them he was too busy listening to that General O’Neill speak to Sam.</p><p>“You’re not safe.” Jack said quietly to her. She looked to him and shrugged. “I could beat him up.”</p><p>Sam gave a half smile but shook her head “You don’t have to take him home tonight sir.”  </p><p>Another heavy look past between them which made Pete writhe inside. But with the look came a submissive nod from Jack and a question to Sam to promise to stay safe. The implied ‘call me if it gets too much’ was hanging even heavier in the air. She bowed her head and moved past him.</p><p>“Lets go.” She said her voice full of pain her eyes close to crying she turned on her foot and walked away, not waiting for him, he was either going home with her now or not at all and he doubted any of SG-1 would give him a ride. So he went after her.</p>
<hr/><p>As soon as her door closed he tried to kiss her.</p><p>“Get off me!” she said pushing him away. “You really think I’d be in the mood after today's performance, I’ve been on high alert all day.”</p><p>“Come on babe, look I’m sorry,” he said pulling her into his arms “I tend to get all macho over protective of my territory.”</p><p>She pulled out again and shook him off "You're what?!" she objected, where he started to get quite rough with her. “Get off!” Sam shouted at him. Before he grabbed her by the arm and squeezed her tightly. “Pete, that hurts get off me!” she tried where he squeezed tighter. Sam closed her eyes trying to remember her level 3 combat training, she knew she could kick his butt, but the ability to was seriously being brought into question.</p><p>“Remind me again, who you belong to?” he sneered bringing her in.</p><p>Sam’s heart was stuck in her mouth. <em>Where</em> was her kick ass feminism?! All it took was for her to fall in love for it to dissolve into <em>nothing</em>? She looked up and into his eyes and something scared her for the first time. His eyes, looked coldly back at her—he looked just like Jonas.</p><p>She closed her eyes and imagined the other man’s eyes. Deep dark brown and playful, the way they had lit up like a Christmas tree when she had referenced her ‘reproductive organs’ that first day, she drew breath and courage her body finally able to kick into action and she had him off her in two swoops, then a big hard hand impacted her face before she looked up at him and glared. “<em>You</em> are <em>not</em> welcome in my bed tonight.” She said as her face stung, tears forming in her eyes though she was determined to not let him see her cry. She turned on her heal and walked away before she shouted back “don’t even think about waiting until I’m asleep, I sleep with a gun and I can sleep on alert.” She told him then slammed her door behind her, turning around she put the lock on and took a couple of steps back. She shook as she watched the door for a few minutes, waiting for a reproach which never came.</p>
<hr/><p>“Sir, here’s the report you were after.” She said to him after knocking on the door. She hoped his eyes would stay locked on the paperwork in front of him instead of looking up, she had managed it so far. The guys at security knew better then to ask questions about the battered up Air force members, Sam had brought her own lunch, knocked herself onto busy with the excuse of working on something in her lab and locked her lab door and no one had disturbed her yet, but she had one thing she needed to do all day and she hoped and prayed he wouldn’t look up. No one had seen her on the way up.</p><p>“Oh yey!” he quipped flatly.</p><p>She thought she was going to get away with it but as she turned to leave his eyes flicked up “Carter?” he asked, his eyes not leaving her. She froze in place and she felt his body heat behind her. “Look at me.” He said lowly.</p><p>She blushed as she turned around but did nothing to hide the almost blue shade on her cheek.</p><p>“What’s this?” he asked her his eyes obviously looking at the mark.</p><p>“Nothing.” She lied.</p><p>A pause lingered before he asked “I asked you what it was Colonel?”</p><p>“Nothing, sir, just one of the paintball must have got me harder then I thought.” She answered.</p><p>His hand came up and his fingers traced it, caressing her so lightly she thought she might fall over. Her eyes flicked to his and her eyes betrayed her, they never lied to him.</p><p>“I see.” He said carefully, only one thing made a mark like this, and she was covering it up for him. “I take it the paintball has been taken care of?” he asked her.</p><p>Sam blushed further “The paintball was very apologetic, cooked breakfast, went out and bought roses before I woke up this morning.”</p><p>No one else would have seen it but her but for a split second his eyes raged and his body jumped a shake. “Carter, you should repo—” he started.</p><p>“Report what sir?” she said quietly.</p><p>Their eyes returned to each other and she made sure her eyes stayed firmly on him, the silence was deafening. “You’re favourite flowers are tulips.”</p><p>She gave a weak smile because that’s all she could muster at the moment, she knew he knew the seriousness of the situation “the paintball—drank way too much way too quickly last night, wanted to apologise to SG-1 too.”</p><p>“The paintball needs to stay far <em>far</em> away from me.” He strangled out.</p><p>Sam nodded with another pause and he could see he had added another burden to her, trying to explain why he didn’t want an apology would only cause problems for Sam but she still submissively nodded “Yes sir.”</p><p>His heart was in his mouth and breaking, and his mind flashed back to the first year they knew each other, the way Jonas had slapped her, she hadn’t even flinched. She was used to being treated this way. “Carter—”he started.</p><p>“Sir—” she interrupted “Please let me handle it.”</p><p>His eyes traced over her again before he made eye contact with her again, he wanted to kill that son of a bitch. He wanted to hunt him to the point he knew he was being followed, he wanted to see the fear in his eyes, he wanted to trick him into believing it was over before he pounced—“Jack.” Her words cut his thoughts. “Please.”</p><p>He looked into her eyes again and saw his redemption, her silent plea to him ‘he’s not worth the consequences Jack, at least not you.’</p><p>“Okay.” He nodded.</p><p>“I won’t come to work like this again I promise.” She said quietly.</p><p>“Hey,” he said holding her arm in place so gently, so completely differently to the way Pete had but when her arm jerked he understood why she wore the long sleeve t-shirt today “You have nothing to be ashamed of, this was <em>not</em> your fault.”  </p><p>“Right.” She said quietly looking away and with it walked out his office.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>okay, that took a darker turn then I was expecting the last chapter to be, but its written all the same!</p><p>Because of it there will be one more chapter, probably one where Jack and Sam are actually together for a bit of light-hearted making out--because its what we really want!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Tapestry of love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Love is like art--right?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Characters aren't mine but they are Stargates.</p>
<p>Last chapter! The ending to this one is so much more satisfying!</p>
<p>Thank you for all your comments and KUDOS! This has been so much fun to write! Thanks! (and feel free to still comment!)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“This is probably the most fun I’ve had with paint.” Sam whispered in his ear.</p>
<p>“Probably?” he replied sounding a little offended which made her giggle, “We have literally created a masterpiece!” he told her.</p>
<p>Sam laughed into his naked chest which was smeared and coloured with red paint. He suddenly lifted her up from the spot and flipped her over “Jack! The paint wont be dry yet, it’ll smear!” she giggled.</p>
<p>“Kind of the point don’t you think?” he teased her.</p>
<p>“Do you think this will come out of my hair?” she asked him.</p>
<p>“Don’t you think you should have asked that before we got the paint everywhere?” he asked her.</p>
<p>“Well—” she giggled reaching down and holding him making his knees slip a little either side of her “Oh!” she sounded her hands coming up to help steady him before they burst into laughter. “Should we get up?” she asked him. “See what it looks like?” He only grinned so she counted “One two three!” they got up and stepped off the canvass onto the plastic sheeting he put his arms around her as they looked at their masterpiece.</p>
<p>“You were right, one colour would not have been as good.” He agreed with her kissing into her hair his red paint planting further into her blond hair he chuckled. The red imprints were him and the blue hers of course people wouldn’t know it was a sex painting—literally, covering themselves in paint front and back there were smears of both red and blue a dark purple showing up where the two had meshed together, it was an interesting work of art!</p>
<p>“Is it me—” Sam started to ask him and then she leaned in very close and whispered to him “—or are you turned on by the look of it?” she asked him.</p>
<p>He smirked and shrugged “I’m game if you are.” He said kissing her gently, her head turned at the sound of the door where she picked up her robe from the sofa and he started to walk off towards her bedroom which had her bathroom. “Don’t be long!” he called only turning to see her tie her robe around her waist securely before he disappeared in there and she opened the door.</p>
<p>Her face dropped and her eyes widen “Pete?!” she exclaimed suddenly feeling her nakedness under the dark pink robe and she was very aware of being covered in red and blue paint.</p>
<p>“Hey Sam, can I come in for a minute?” he asked her.</p>
<p>Sam was conflicted to say the least, she didn’t want her neighbours seeing her like this hence why every blind in her house was down in the middle of the day but simultaneously didn’t want to talk to him, on her front porch—for everyone to see—in the middle of the day—covered in paint and dressed in a silk robe. “Sure.” She said quietly standing aside for him to walk in. “You’ll need to be quick I’m—argg—um—”</p>
<p>
  <em>Having the best sex of my life?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>With the man you feared I would?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Doing it every day I can?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>And we got married just two month after I was suppose to marry you?</em>
</p>
<p>“—busy.” She settled her mind.</p>
<p>“Sure—” he said his feet shuffling. She looked at him really confused which he didn’t seem to notice as he looked up “Is that new?” he asked about her robe.</p>
<p><em>‘Yes—it was a wedding gift—from my husband.’</em> It wasn’t something she would have bought for herself, she wouldn’t have supposed it to be ‘her’. But when she slipped into it (along with the lingerie it had came with) she had felt incredibly feminine, sensual and liberated, she had taken to wearing the dusky pink robe at home, when it was just the two of them, completely starkers underneath it.</p>
<p>“Ummm yeah.” She said quietly. “Why are you here?” she asked him.</p>
<p>“I want you to reconsider—“he started.</p>
<p>“Pete—” she started.</p>
<p>“No wait—just hear me out—”</p>
<p>“But Pete—”</p>
<p>“Babe we were good together—”</p>
<p>“Pete—”</p>
<p>“If you just, you shouldn’t work so hard—”</p>
<p>“What? Pete—”</p>
<p>“And if you just think about the fact that you’ll never get what you want from that place—” he continued.</p>
<p>“Now hold on—”</p>
<p>“And Mark said when he came for your dad’s funeral that he thought you were already falling for your <em>boss</em>.”</p>
<p>“Pete!” she tried.</p>
<p>“He won’t—can’t give you what I can—he’s old and you deserve more then him!”</p>
<p>Her whole body shuddered, the thought was laughable, <em>Pete</em> being <em>more</em> then <em>Jack</em>?</p>
<p>Jack was physically taller, stronger, and now her ‘desperate for a normal life’ glasses were off, Jack was so much more attractive (seriously what did she see in Pete!) When Jack held her it felt like she was encased in safety and sexiness and love. Jack was a better partner in life, making her laugh and smile, supporting her choices, from helping her move out to Nevada to transferring back to the SCG, she’d been glad at the time she hadn’t taken Jack up on moving into his place and keeping hers but, maybe if she had lived in his old house Pete wouldn’t have found her. Jack was a better lover, caring and attentive, six months of being together four as a married couple, he was incredibly fast at understanding her needs and comforts, Jack had picked it up on first go! Fast forward six months, he had made her comfortable with expressing her sexual needs to him and it thrilled her no end when he suggested things, usually they involved, activities—water, cream, chocolate, mud, (one ill advise experiment in) Sand—that stuff really did get everywhere!</p>
<p>Libido was <em>not</em> a problem!</p>
<p>Size was amazing!</p>
<p>And the things he could do with his hands!</p>
<p>“I’m married!” She blurted out to stop herself from getting completely turned on for her husband in front of her ex.</p>
<p>Pete looked at her in disbelief. “You’re what!?” he exclaimed.</p>
<p>“I’m married.” She said just as awkwardly as she ever did. The brave beautiful women she felt she was with Jack was shrinking fast, her social inadequacies were taking over her impulses.  </p>
<p>“Six months!” he exclaimed “that’s all it took for you to get married to someone else?”</p>
<p>Sam couldn’t speak, the hours between breaking up with Pete and sleeping with Jack had suddenly seemed woefully short. Like any other couple they had started their relationship with setting a self destruct button off which would destroy the entire base, possibly the whole of Colorado Springs—if not the entire planet, in their final seconds they had looked at each other, She had broken it off with Pete just hours before hand, she thought she would die without ever letting the man she loved, know it. When they had survived she had enough had went home and changed, had a shower then heading over to his house, to apologize for the few days before hand but to tell him how she felt too, she thought for certain her heart would be broken, but its not what had happened.  </p>
<p> She had never needed to get over Pete—because in truth she has always been in love with Jack.</p>
<p>“Who is he?” he said stepping forward into her personal space.</p>
<p>“None of your business is who.” She objected. “We broke up, ergo you have no say about who I sleep with.”</p>
<p>“You’re ashamed.” He accused her.</p>
<p>“I’m <em>not</em> ashamed.” She defended. “Some of us like our private lives to be just that—<em>private</em>.”</p>
<p>He marched past her into the living room, and despite their sex blanket covered in paint still being on the floor and her current state he seemed to ignore all this to focus on one picture.</p>
<p>It was a picture Daniel had taken of them while they were fishing together. Their relationship wasn’t even out to Daniel and Teal’c yet at that point, Daniel had taken snaps of everyone together over that weekend. A goofy one of her and Daniel where they pulled faces together was in a frame next to it, one of all four of them smiling at the camera them all sitting on the couch in the cabin, but the one of her and Jack relaxing on the deck fishing poles in hand, they were just smiling and talking, that day he had proposed.</p>
<p>“<em>Him</em>!” Pete sneered. “He’s fifteen years older then you Sam!”</p>
<p>What was it with people and pointing that out, did they think she couldn’t do basic math? It was actually closer to sixteen but semantics eh?  “He’s not a number.”</p>
<p>“He’s your boss!”</p>
<p>“He’s not my boss!”</p>
<p>“What the hell does that mean!”</p>
<p>“He got promoted he works in DC now. I’m out of his command chain.”</p>
<p>“They <em>promoted</em> that idiot!” he spat</p>
<p>“Hey! Watch that tongue!” she exclaimed sharply. “If you had <em>any</em> idea the <em>basic</em> education an Air Force General must have—”<br/>“Then you’re an idiot if you think he’s smart, fooled them and you.” He looked at her again “and what the hell is with all the paint!”</p>
<p>“Again none of your business.” She told him.</p>
<p>“All for him huh?” he sniggered.</p>
<p>Actually the others had been his ideas, the paint had been hers. “Pete—”</p>
<p>“So you just jumped right into bed with him did you?” he said coming eye to eye with her she shrank back heard the feminine insult he threw at her and she waited for the hand to shatter onto her skin.</p>
<p>Instead in the instant she opened her eyes to find Pete’s back turned her husband standing on the other side of him towering over him again, dressed in boxer shorts and a t-shirt which showed off his very well toned biceps and tanned forearms.</p>
<p>“I warned you about speaking to Carter like that.” Jack warned dangerously. The threat had been made a little over a year ago, one which had intimated Pete into staying away from SG-1.  </p>
<p>Pete scoffed at Jack which was a huge mistake in itself before he turned around to Sam “Need a big man to protect you.”</p>
<p>Sam’s eyes flashed in anger, she was surprised by simply looking at Jack she had the strength to do what she was about to do and despite her scantly clad status she grabbed Pete by his arm and twisted him so his arm was behind him his head bending in front of her she walked him round the room and out the door, despite his cries of pain she knew the position didn’t leave a mark on the other person so she opened her front door and tossed him out. “You think you can march in here six months after we break up, insult my now husband and threaten me?”</p>
<p>“Babe—” he started.</p>
<p>“I’m going to give you a head start Pete, if you’re still here in sixty seconds I’ll speed dial your ex boss and get your sorry ass arrested for trespassing. I’m sure I can arrange a little restraining order while I’m at it—” she threatened.</p>
<p>“Babe—” he said after a pause.</p>
<p>“Fifty seconds.” She counted. Pete looked at her again and turned and walked away.</p>
<p>She closed the door her head hitting the back of it gently as she leaned into the door.</p>
<p>She felt him close by, but he didn’t even come to hold her yet. She took a deep breath, God this man knew her, he wasn’t mollycoddling her. He wasn’t there to replace the bad ex. He was her silent strength, her dependable shoulder and her ultimate fantasy. Her hand came out behind her, he stepped forward and took her hand in his. She turned into his arms and received one of his best Jack O’Neill hugs. She dug her nose into his chest then looked up at him and had an overwhelming need to kiss him.</p>
<p>“You okay?” he asked her.</p>
<p>“Yes.” She paused. “No.” She shook her head. “I froze.” She admitted “Just like I did when he hit me a year ago—”</p>
<p>“Code word the paintball.”</p>
<p>Sam chuckled at the memory “Yeah.” She reached up to her husband “I froze because he reminded me of Jonas.” He kissed into her hair as tears welled in her eyes “What is it about guys like that? I’m a feminist, I’m a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Airforce, I kick alien butt for a living, I build bombs and shoot snake head, I can build a nuclear reactor for crying out loud?” she wept. “What is it about these guys that I can’t break free of them?” she asked “that even when I’m broke up with them—I mean with Jonas it was years later—they can walk back in and just I’m defenseless.” She hugged into him closer.</p>
<p>He kissed her hair and whispered gently to her. “You are an incredible women. You see worth in people who are broken, you instinctive want to love them and heal them, and fix them, just like you do your gizmos and gadgets. The guys you chose though, are sometimes not so fixable.” He told her. She looked up and into his eyes “We tend to have a dangerous side to us, you’re very attracted to it—” he grinned “—but with that danger comes a darkness which if we indulge in, we can hurt those we love—very very easily.” He swallowed “Some with manipulation, some with violence, some with indulging the darkness ourselves and agreeing to some crazy suicide mission that we’re never meant to make it back from.” He said about himself. “I killed my son and pushed away my wife and that’s how you met me.”</p>
<p>“You’re not like them.” She said shaking her head “You would never hurt me.” She whispered. “So why do they still have control over me, months, years later when I am over them?” she asked.</p>
<p>He leaned down and kissed her softly “Because you see and then want to save what’s good in us, you see something, some one of worth and I thank god every day you see it in me.”</p>
<p>She reached up and kissed him squarely and firmly on the lips before she broke away for a second “How do you do that?” she asked him.</p>
<p>“Do what?” he asked.</p>
<p>“Calm me down so easily. You know exactly what to say.”</p>
<p>“So do they.” He acknowledged “I know you, I know your behaviour I know what to say and how to say it. I could crumble our whole relationship  in ten words or less.”</p>
<p>“Jack—” she said her head shaking “No you would never do that to me—” she started.</p>
<p>“Because its a choice that I make, not to be that person.” He told her.</p>
<p>“Jack—“she whispered her fingers tracing his lips his hand caressing her cheek. “don’t do this to yourself.” She told him “you are so much more then them, you are more then just a different choice.”</p>
<p>He smiled a little before she reached up, put her arms around his neck and kissed him again. “I’m glad you believe it.” He smiled, before she kissed him again.</p>
<p>“You know—” she said with a smile as she tightened her arms around his neck, “there is something else—“she continued as he kissed her lips to interrupt her “we could use in—” another kiss “our playing.”</p>
<p>A grin spread across his face as she whispered in his ear. She pulled him up towards the bedrooms to jump in the shower and get the paint off themselves. “Only if we read the karma while using the ice cream one together?”</p>
<p>Sam giggled “Okay but you got to promise me one thing?” she asked.</p>
<p>“Oh?” he asked her.</p>
<p>“Only put the ice cream in the very, very hot places.”</p>
<p>He scooped her up in his arms and she squealed in delight “Jack O’Neill unhand me!”</p>
<p>“I will just as soon as we make it to the shower and then I’ll teach you a few things even that book doesn’t have in it!”</p>
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